Reciprocating cylinder phonograph



Sept. 21, 1954 s G 2,689,736

RECIPROCATING CYLINDER PHONOGRAPH Filed Jan. 3, 1949 INVENTOR. IRVINE SIEGEL A TORNEY .'.is :mounted. Thespring :rnotur :3 has alcasing ll of circular shape :in :zplan view flattened on une the shaft Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UFNZI 'ISE'D STATES PATFEN OFF"! GE 2,689,736 -REOIPROCWI ING CYLINDER' PHGNOGRAPH alrvinevsiegel, New .Xork, .N.

Application zlanuary 3, 1949, Serial No. 68,860

is Claims. 1

The present invention relates to :a phonograph and, more particularly, "to a miniature phonograph which is a'dapted to 'be used in fia doll or similar toy.

There have been many attempts heretofore to make a talking doll but, 'so far "as is known, 'all these attempts have failed-to achieve commercial success.

Some proposed designs have been unsatisfactory from the standpoint of performance. Others have been so complicated that manufacture at a reasonable price was precluded.

The present invention has as an object the "provision of a simple phonograph unit "for use with dolls and the like which is dependable' in operation, 1 simple in construction and comparatively-inexpensive'to manufacture. =Other-objects and advantages of the invention will become-apparent from the following 'detailed description :talren in conjunction with'the-drawingjin which: I Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in sectionpo'f =a phonograph embodying the invention;

:Fig. 2 -is afragmentary sectional -'e'levati'on :at

right angles td-Figfil and Fig.8 is a fragmentarysectiom on a larger scale through the drum anditss'haft.

Referring now ato thedrawing, ithe phonograph I a *housing "1. iin' the iend "of whicha speaker .unit '39 side which is partially cut zaway lto :permit a 'l5xextends "above casing H sand is tthreaded ts form a screw I 9. A spring plate 21,.whichtisrfixed to :shaft 15 Just below .the gear 4.3, is iproviided with sa plurality :of peripheral teeth 22:3, only one of which :is shown, which engage with .teeth .25 formed in the lowcrface-of gear [Bland constitute -a ratchet and pawl-device ofcconventionalxstructure for permitting a spiral :spring "which Lhas'one end -2 l1fixed 'to thepasing IE to be wound ,up :by turning ?-the key H in one directionwithoutrotating'the gear il'3. When the spring'uncoils, it drives the. gear 13 and the shaft I in the direction ppositetmthe winding motion.

Gear 13 meshes .with the first gear-f 'a gear train 29. The gears of this train drive -:a record .shaft 3| iwhichis .journaled atone end in a wall 33 and at the other .end ina removable bracket 35 hothof which are .suitably secured to base a'l- The *speed GfiIOtfitiOllMfiShfiftiB l "is limited by an air agov-ernor I31 which :is amounted ion =.a shaft -39 with a spiral gear 41 which meshes withtthe=e11d 'gear-"of th'e train I229 rasshownin Fig. 2. .=A:stop pin :43 1 is mounted for "limited axialmo'vement in base :I so zthat'in one position its inner "endis :in .the path rofs'movement of thegovernor Stand in the. otheriposition is" clear thereof.

.A "drum 4.5 istm'ounted'onshaft 3| for rotation therewith andfifor easy sliding movement therealong. While any means for accomplishing this functionnan be=used,itispreferred to have-anon- "cincular shaft and *arcorrespondingly shaped opening through the plrum with .suificient clearance for -:easy movementof the :drum along the shaft but without excessive play. :A satisfactory "arrangement is Shown in .Fig. *3 .in 'which thecshaft is square with chainfered corners "and the drum first drille'd'and then broached accurately Eto :size. this :reduces sliding 'frictionto a: minimum "while providing certain :rotation (0f the: drmnwith the .shaft. :Aslight helical spring "4'! lblBiSBS .the drum itowar'cl one end'of theshaft tothe position shown in Fig. '1.

.On th "drum is :mounted a zrecord cylinder Mi having a helical :sound track out or pressed :into its outer surface. The record .is replaceable by removing :bracket .35 and slipping the record off the :drum on which it :is merely frictionally :held through ana-opening .5! in the housing "I. The :drum .is ;preferahly "made of :heavy material aso'that it-seryes as .a :fi-ywhee'las well as :a record holder, but separate piecesamaybe used ifclesired iforithesetwoafunctions.

The speaker unit :9 includes a diaphragm 53,

. preferably nof :c'onic'al type, secured at :its periphery :9, frame or ring J5?) which-forms part of a zspider 2'5 having arms,- extending inwardly and V downwardly to -.a bifurcated for Jannular 'hub por- "tion'spanning a pin 53securedto theap-exadf the :diaphragm. .lzo the pin :55 is fixed {an arm "61 which lGflII'iES "a needle 63. .A pair of bracket members E5 are :fixeditothespeaker spider and a "pin 16"! rpasses through them and the arm 6 whichiis drillecl oversize to receive a-rubbersleeve. The :armfii 'is' thus :pivoted to the sp'iderbut with some freedom 0f .rmovement due to the resiliency of the rubber sleeve. The vibrations picked up 'rbyxthe needle {i3 fromthesound trackof the rec- 0rd are ampllfied somewhat by the mechanical connection betweenneedle-t3 and the diaphragm :5'3, but such a zconnecticn -is not essential and the meedle may be connected directly to the dia- :phragmrif desired.

The speaker .unit is zresiliently :mounted in the housing I for limited axial movement between a shoulder H and a locking ring 13 which is screwed into the end of the housing. A resilient ring 15, which preferably is made of rubber, lies between shoulder H and the ring 55. A similar ring 11 lies between ring 55 and locking ring 13, preferably with a washer 19 between the rings 13 and 11 so that the ring 13 can be turned without rubbing directly on ring 17. It will be apparent that the normal position of the speaker unit relative to housing 7 can be adjusted somewhat by turning locking ring 73 and thus vary the stress on the two resilient rings 15 and il. In this normal position the end of the needle 83 rides in the sound track of the record with the proper pressure for picking up the recorded vibrations and transmitting them to the diaphragm 53'. While the parts 55, l3, 15, Ti and 19 have been described as circular, which is the simplest shape to use, they may be oval, elliptical, etc., except for the locking ring which may be replaced by other locking means capable of limited axial adjustment.

A lifting device Bl is provided for disengaging the needle from the sound track at the end of the run. The form shown in the drawing comprises a bifurcated plate 83 having a pair of arms 85 extending under the hub of spider 51, a threaded sleeve 3! engaging the screw I9 and a smooth bore sleeve 89 slidably engaging a post 9| mounted on the wall 33. The parts are so arranged that rotation of the shaft l5 during the winding of the motor spring lowers the lifting device 8! and permits the speaker unit to occupy its normal position while the reverse rotation of the shaft l5 causes the lifting device to rise.

The operating cycle begins With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the needle 63 is raised out of the sound track and the record 49 is at the outermost position on the shaft 3| with the starting end of the sound track under the needle 53. This is the position the parts assume when the spring of motor 3 is unwound at the end of the playing run. To place the device in condition again for playing, the stop pin 43 is pushed inwardly to position its inner end in the path of the governor 31 as shown in Fig. 2. The spring is then wound up by turning the winding key H. In so doing the shaft l5 and screw 19 turn in the direction to lower the lifting device 81 and permit the needle 53 to enter the sound track of the record 49 as shown in Fig. 2. The playing of the record is initiated by pulling the stop pin out so that it clears the governor 31, thus permitting the spring motor to drive the gear train. The governor 31 limits the speed of the record 49 and the momentum of drum 45 which is built up when the force of the motor spring is at and permitting the spring 41 to return it to the starting position of Fig. l.

The lifting device 8| removes the needle gradually from the sound track and there is a slight tendency to wear a cross groove in the record at the place where it breaks contact and the return movement of the record unit 5 under action of spring 4'! begins. This has not been found to be a disadvantage in actual practice because the last turn or so of the sound track is left blank. If desired, however, a lifting device which lifts the needle suddenly can be employed. One such device may comprise a lever pivoted at one end to a post on wall 33 with the other end adapted to engage either the hub of spider 51 or the arm Bl between pivot 61 and needle 63. A stop is provided to limit the downward movement of the lever. A helical spring is secured at one end to the lever intermediatefthe ends thereof and the other end of the spring is connected to a threaded sleeve similar to 81. The parts are arranged so that at the end of the run the point of connection of the spring to the threaded sleeve just passes the projection of a line through the fulcrum of the lever and the point of connection of the spring to the lever. This causes the lever to snap upwardly by toggle action and lift the needle suddenly. The reverse action takes place on winding the spring motor when the threaded sleeve is lowered so that the point of connection of the helical spring therewith moves to the other side of said projected line and snaps the lever downwardly against its stop.

If the phonograph unit is used in a stuffed doll, thehousing must be dust proof or otherwis protected against entrance of stuffing into the mechanism. One simple Way to make the device airtight is to construct the bracket 35 in the form r of a removable cover for opening 5 i.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with the best embodiment known at this time, modifications and variations of parts and their arrangements can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A phonograph comprising a spring motor including a gear train, said spring motor including a shaft having a winding key at one end and a screw thread at the other, a record shaft driven by said spring motor, a record unit including a cylindrical record with a helical sound track mounted on said record shaft for rotation therewith and movement therealong, a speaker unit including a needle adapted in one position to engage in the sound track of the record and in another position to be clear thereof, said record being 'moved along said shaft during rotation 'thereof by the engagement of the needle in the sound track, and lifting means for moving the needle into and outof engagement with the record operatively connected with said screw thread.

2. A phonograph as set forth in claim 1 in starting position'when the needle is lifted clear of the sound track.

3. A phonograph comprising a spring motor including shaft and a gear train, an air governor for said gear train, a record shaft driven by said motor, a record unit including a record having a sound track mounted on said record shaft, a flywheel operatively connected with said gear train, a speaker unit including a needle, and'means for moving the needle into and out of engagement with the record, said means including threads on the spring motor shaft and a threaded sleeve engaged therewith and operatively connected with the needle.

4. A phonograph comprising a housing, 2. record unit including a spring motor and a cylindrical record having a helical sound track mounted in said housing, a conical diaphragm, a, ring secured directly to the periphery of said diaphragm,

i said ring being resiliently secured in said housing for limited movement axially thereof, a needle connected to the apex of said diaphragm, said needle being adapted in normal position to engage in said sound track, and means for lifting the needle from the sound track by moving said ring.

5. In a phonograph having a tubular housing; a record unit mounted in one end of said housing and a speaker unit mounted in the other end of said housing; said speaker unit comprising a diaphragm, a needle connected to said diaphragm, and an open annular frame secured directly to the periphery of said diaphragm, said frame having an outer diameter only slightly smaller than the internal diameter of said housing and being resiliently connected with said housing for limited axial movement whereby said needle can be moved toward and away from said record unit.

6. A phonograph as set forth in claim 5 in which the resilient connection comprises rubber rings on each side of said annular frame and means are provided for varying the stress on said rubber rings to adjust the normal playing position of said needle.

7. A phonograph as set forth in claim 5 in which said frame is a spider having a hub adjacent to said needle and means for engaging said hub to lift the speaker unit and free the needle from engagement with the record.

8. A phonograph as set forth in claim 7 in which said means is a member capable at least in part of axial movement which engages said hub' and lifts the needle from said record unit at the end of the playing cycle.

9. A phonograph as set forth in claim 8 in which said record unit includes a spring motor having a shaft with a winding key on one end and a screw thread on the other, said screw thread being operatively connected with said member.

10. A phonograph as set forth in claim 9 in which said record unit includes a record shaft, a drum mounted for rotation with and sliding movement along said record shaft, a cylindrical record on said drum, and a helical spring for returning the drum to its initial position on said shaft after the needle is disengaged from the record.

11. A phonograph as set forth in claim 10 in which said drum is made of a heavy material and serves as a flywheel.

12. A phonograph as set forth in claim 11 in which the spring motor for driving the record unit is connected through a gear train with an air governor.

13. A phonograph as set forth in claim 12 in which a stop pin is slidably mounted in said housing for movement into and out of the path of said air governor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 423,039 Edison Mar. 11, 1890 503,610 Mackintosh Aug. 22, 1893 1,097,771 Rotter et al May 26', 1914 1,185,001 Ringel May 30, 1916 1,685,433 Mounts Sept. 25, 1928 1,983,078 Grubman Dec. 4, 1934 1,998,149 Warner Apr. 16, 1935 2,063,578 Berglund Dec. 8, 1936 2,410,814 Evans Nov. 12, 1946 

